France

Corsica

France: Health Inspectors Find Spoiled Food in Restaurants across France

Date: August 21st, 2008 |

One month into a two-month evaluation of food safety across the country, inspectors from the French agriculture ministry found that 27 percent of the establishments checked failed quality and hygiene tests. The inspections targeted everything from food stalls to three-star Michelin restaurants and found the main culprits to be chip, kebab and pizza vendors and [read more]

France: Shepherds’ Guard Dogs Imperil Hikers

Date: August 7th, 2008 |

No Comments

Pyrenean mountain dogs (Great Pyrenees) brought into the French Alps to protect sheep from wolves have created problems for summer hikers, attacking and injuring several in recent weeks. The issue has become serious enough that mountain guides have stopped taking clients to certain areas to avoid encounters with aggressive dogs. Wolves recolonized the French Alps [read more]

France: Riots in Suburban Paris, Champs-Elysees Crime Up

Date: November 29th, 2007 |

No Comments

The rail strike that paralyzed Paris transport is over but on its heels came rioting in the city’s poor suburbs sparked by the deaths of two teenagers in a collision with a police car. Three nights of violence were reminiscent of the unrest of 2005 when riots continued for three weeks, but the current incidents [read more]

France: Rail Strike Planned for Nov. 13

Date: November 9th, 2007 |

No Comments

The biggest rail strike in 12 years occurred Oct. 17 and will be followed by another strike Nov. 13 involving six of the eight unions that walked out in October. The strike will be renewable every 24 hours and could last several days, depending on negotiations and union actions. Other unions may join the strike, [read more]

United Kingdom: New Record for Chunnel Train from Paris to London

Date: September 5th, 2007 |

1 comment

While London was enduring the chaos of a Tube strike Sept. 4 those who headed into town on the Eurostar from Paris were celebrating a new record time for traveling between the cities by train: two hours, three minutes and 39 seconds. The trip was a test run of the new high-speed track on the [read more]

France: Police Defuse Bombs in Basque Tourist Area

Date: August 13th, 2008 |

No Comments

Police defused three small bombs in French Basque country after firefighters received a telephone warning about five explosive devices planted in a popular tourist area. Police found two of the bombs in a resort and outside the tourism office in Arcangues and the third on a TGV railway line near Ondres. The caller named three [read more]

France, Portugal, Mauritania, Senegal: Dakar Rally Canceled

Date: January 10th, 2008 |

No Comments

The Christmas Eve murders of four French tourists in Mauritania has prompted organizers of the Dakar Rally to cancel this year’s race. The rally was scheduled to start in Lisbon Jan. 5 and finish in Dakar, Senegal Jan. 20. Race officials faced pressure from the French government to call off the rally because nine of [read more]

France: Strike Wreaks Havoc on Transport, Postal Service, Universities

Date: November 20th, 2007 |

No Comments

Transport strikes in France paralyzed the country’s rail network and created havoc for commuters in Paris and other cities for more than a week. President Nicolas Sarkozy finally called for an end to the strike and negotiations Nov. 20, but the strike continued with no certainty of when it would end and began to effect [read more]

France: Air France Strike May Cause Delays

Date: October 25th, 2007 |

2 comments

Sixty percent of Air France flight attendants plan to strike Oct. 28-29 unless talks between the union and management resolve their dispute. The walkout is likely to cause flight delays and cancellations, particularly at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports. The strike will also affect Air France’s pa [read more]

France: Paris Rental Bicycles Ease Commute, Touring

Date: July 19th, 2007 |

No Comments

Bicycles are now available for easy and inexpensive rental at 750 stations throughout Paris. Mayor Bertrand Delanoe launched the service as a way to cut pollution and traffic. The service, called Velib, is offered in eight languages and accepts major credit cards to make it easy for all to use. The cost for a one-day [read more]